Showcase will reveal wonderful heritage of arts centre in Milton Keynes dating to Saxon times

Westbury farmhouse in the early 1950s.

Published:16:00Friday 01 June 2018

Share this article

An exhibition revealing the rich history of Westbury Arts Centre is opening to the public.

The free exhibition – with help from the National Heritage Lottery Fund – traces the surprising history of the site at Shenley Wood and can be seen from Saturday, June 16 until July 6.

Westbury Arts Centre

Already hundreds of years old at the time of the Norman Conquest, it was a 14th century moated manor, then a farm and now a thriving arts centre.

The exhibition has been put together with help from a group of volunteers who have researched the site. A Saxon pendant excavated in the 1980s was one of the earliest indications that the site has a rich history.

The 14th Century moated manor was replaced in 1650 by a manor house that forms the core of the present day building and was, until the arrival of the new city, a farm and a home for generations of tenants and owners.

Westbury’s story is showcased in the exhibition alongside information about the flora and fauna of the area, researched by The Natural History Society.

Early days of Westbury Arts Centre

The exhibition also includes oral histories from the more recent past as a farm, home and, since the late 1980s, the arts centre. There will also be the opportunity to view featured works of art produced by some of the centre’s artists.

The exhibition will be open during the weekends from 11am to 4pm and on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 2pm. Group visits can be arranged by appointment. The arts centre is in Foxcovert Road, Shenley Wood, MK5 6AA.

To find out more please contact 01908 501214 or history@westburyartscentre.co.uk